South Korea and China held talks on Nov. 20, 2018 to discuss ways to ease trade disputes and expand investment opportunities between the two nations, Seoul's trade ministry said.

Senior trade officials held the 18th bilateral trade remedy meeting in Beijing to share opinions on the latest trade issues and review the ongoing anti-dumping investigations, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said.

Senior trade officials of South Korea and China talk during a welcoming dinner held in Seoul on Dec. 19, 2017, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

They also reviewed the implementation of the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations, as negotiations have been underway to expand the scope of the existing pact to better cover the service and investment sectors.

The two nations implemented the FTA, which is focused on lowering tariffs on goods, in December 2015.

During the meeting, Seoul officials asked the Chinese government to fairly conduct anti-dumping investigations on Korean stainless steel and phenol, a chemical compound used to make some antiseptics, medicines and plastics, the ministry said.

China has levied 16 import restriction measures on Korean goods, including petrochemical and steel products, the third-largest number after the United States and India, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)